Iran warns of reciprocal measures in US visa row

TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament speaker said Sunday that new US visa regulations amounted to “harassment” and reciprocal steps would be taken if the plans are implemented.

The rules, approved by Congress last month, would bar people from 38 mainly European countries from travelling to the United States without a visa if they have visited Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan since 2011.

Dual nationals of those countries would also be banned from using the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

“Recently some US representatives have put some plans together which can only be referred to as harassment,” parliament speaker Ali Larijani told lawmakers.

“If they don’t amend it, there will be reciprocation from the Iranian side.”